BC court orders church to reinstate expelled members
Faith Lutheran Church, Kelowna, expelled seven members in September 2007 in a dispute over same-sex blessings and other issues. Four of them went to court alleging that church rules had been broken and that they had been treated unfairly.
A BC judge has found in favour of the expelled members and ordered their reinstatement.
The pastor of the Kelowna church, Anita Desjardins, was expected to attend the [national Lutheran] convention and some members were worried that she would vote in favour of blessing same-sex unions.
At an annual meeting in February 2007 a resolution was passed and some thought the resolution called for a vote on whether to compel the pastor to reflect the majority views of the congregation at the national convention vote.
Desjardins did not believe there was a need for a local vote, but a small group organized a petition calling for just such a vote. When the petition was presented to the church council, it touched off even more strife, with the pastor giving a service in which she allegedly referred to “troublemakers” in the church.
Trouble often results when pastors don’t clearly support biblical teaching.
So, why exactly, do they wish to continue under such leadership, and in that fellowship, if the congregation hasn’t yet pressed for her removal as pastor?
And why go to a SECULAR COURT to resolve a dispute among professing Christians?
“The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” — I Cor 6:7
I must confess, I first thought it was Pro-homosexual lobbyists that were expelled. This would be within the Biblical scope of genuine Church discipline. (An oft-overlooked doctrine.)
See, thats what happens when you’re under the influence ahhh by being in communion with anglicans
Wes, Good questions. I agree that, from a biblical perspective, it appears both sides were in the wrong.
alan, I knew there was an Anglican connection.
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Most of the people who sided with the expelled left the congregation in the wake of all of this, as I suspect those reinstated will do.
As a point of interest, Pastor Desjardins is actually an Anglican priest, not a Lutheran minister at all.